Wounds That Bleed
by jeffer
Summary: Kenshin has always been haunted by his shady past...now he is being haunted by a future that seemed to hold no meaning...and even Aoshi is not spared...pls. R&R!
1. Forewords

WOUNDS THAT BLEED  
  
Forewords  
  
DISCLAIMER: The characters and world of Rurouni Kenshin and Samurai X aren't mine, no matter how hard I wish it. ( However, all the unfamiliar are mine.  
  
FEEDBACK: Constructive criticism and comments (wait, some call it reviews, aiight?!) are very much welcome...no, wait...I DEMAND IT! (  
  
ABOUT THE FIC: This is yet another chapter in the life of the legendary slasher as he is faced with feverish dreams of a future which does not belong to him, but does involve him, and his part in shaping the life of people who sprang from his blood, and the legacy he left behind. 


	2. Cry Out

Once again it tingles.  
  
He woke up from his fitful slumber, aware all at once of the stillness inside his room at the dojo.  
  
Slowly his hand crept to his cheek, his fingers tracing the scar, feeling an almost slow burn as flesh contacted flesh. The two crisscrossing lines throbbed as though they had a life of their own.  
  
He raised his fingers to look at it, as though some part of him expected to encounter blood on its tips. But there was nothing.  
  
Kenshin dropped his hand and his head hung. Closing his eyes, his mind conjured the random images that assailed him in his dreams. But nothing concrete would come into view.  
  
They were all a mish-mash of images that meant nothing to him. Or at least they seemed to.  
  
But he knew they were supposed to mean something. After all, why would these dreams be haunting him? And why would this scar throb every time he wakes up?  
  
The only thing that clearly registered is the sound of a girl crying out, followed by the characteristic sound of a blade slicing through thin air.  
  
Could it be Tomoe rising up from the dead to make him pay for what had happened all those years ago?  
  
Kenshin shook his head. No, it can't be. Ghosts may linger, but they rarely manifest themselves in puzzling dreams. If they came back to awaken his guilt, then all their efforts are futile, for he lives with them every single minute of every day.  
  
And her voice...the voice of that faceless – and figureless – girl. It sounded nothing like Tomoe's. It sounded younger...and there was a trace of outrage in her cry.  
  
The dreams are getting worse. And more frequent, too. But why do their meanings continue to elude him?  
  
His thoughts were harshly interrupted by a loud crash just outside his door, sending him instantly to his feet, his hands reaching for his scabbard.  
  
A loud sigh of relief came out when he heard the muffled whispers outside his door.  
  
"Yahiko! Won't you be quiet!" came Sanosuke's irritated voice.  
  
"You're the one who's causing all the ruckus!" came Yahiko's hissed reply.  
  
Both eavesdroppers stumbled back when the door was opened suddenly and they saw Kenshin standing there, looking at them.  
  
"Good morning," said Kenshin brightly. "What are you two doing here? Shouldn't you be at the kitchen, helping Kaoru with breakfast?"  
  
The two had sheepish guilt written all over their faces as they scrambled to their feet and made every effort not to look Kenshin in the eye.  
  
"We...uhm...we were just wondering how you were," Sanosuke hastened to explain. "Yahiko said he heard some noises coming from here last night.'  
  
Yahiko shrugged. "I was just worried, that's all. I was afraid you had a nightmare."  
  
Kenshin smiled slightly, surprised to hear that even in the waking world the dreams would manifest itself. "What noises, exactly?"  
  
The young boy's face lit up at the opportunity to tell some story. "I went out yesterday to answer the call of nature, when I heard you talking. I thought there was someone with you so I dismissed it, but then I heard your voice getting louder so I...you know...I sort of...eavesdropped."  
  
The thought of Yahiko prying into his privacy did not bother Kenshin as much as the idea of him talking in his sleep. "What exactly did you hear?" he asked.  
  
Yahiko blinked at him. "You mean...you don't remember?"  
  
This merited slap at the back of the head by Sanosuke. "Would he be asking you if he did?"  
  
Yahiko glared at Sanosuke. "Hey! What did you do that for?"  
  
"You were being dumb-ass stupid, as usual!"  
  
"Who are you calling - "  
  
Kenshin's calm voice broke through their petty argument. "Come on, stop that." When the two settled down, he asked again. "What did I say, Yahiko?"  
  
His forehead creased, the young boy replied, "It wasn't that clear what you have spoken. Mainly it sounded more like gibberish to me. But then you sort of yelled something."  
  
"Something?"  
  
"Get to the point, pighead!" Sanoduke prodded impatiently, obviously curious what Yahiko had heard the previous night.  
  
Yahiko ignored the pointed insult and went on. "You said something like, 'Keep away from my girl!' and then you screamed 'No!' That really worried me, and I was about to go in but then you kept quiet. I figured you were just having a bad dream so I just went back to my room." He squinted at Kenshin, who instantly became thoughtful. "I was right, wasn't I?" he asked.  
  
Kenshin did not reply immediately. He was too caught up in his own thoughts.  
  
"Kenshin?" Yahiko prodded, getting concerned now.  
  
As though shaken from his reverie, Kenshin looked at the two and said, "You're right, Yahiko. It was just a dream."  
  
"Well, does it mean anything?" Yahiko asked again.  
  
Kenshin shrugged. "I don't remember much of it, so I highly doubt that."  
  
Sanosuke sighed with relief. "Well, that's a relief! Yahiko was real worked up when he told me about it this morning. By the way," he said, remembering something. "You had a dream about a girl?" Mischief overcame his face as he leaned closer towards Kenshin and whispered conspiratorially, "Don't ever let Kaoru hear that. You know how she gets!"  
  
Kenshin merely nodded, not really feeling like joining in on the joke.  
  
"Are you sure it was nothing?" Sanosuke asked, assessing Kenshin's face closely.  
  
Trying his best to reassure them, Kenshin gave a small smile. "It's nothing. No need to worry. Now you two go help Miss Kaoru or she'll have your hide for sure."  
  
Sanosuke gave a careless shrug. "Oh, she'll be alright. She is probably the worst cook I've seen in my entire life, but I have to admit she is improving."  
  
Yahiko sniffed the air. "Wait a minute...Sano, can you smell that?"  
  
Sanosuke tried to sniff along. "What...what is it?"  
  
Kenshin smiled. "Smells like something burning."  
  
Sanosuke and Yahiko looked at each other. Then both bolted towards the kitchen, where smoke is now coming out.  
  
"Kaoru! What did you do to our breakfast!?"  
  
"Kaoru! What have you done!!?"  
  
Kenshin watched them go, but amusement at their outrage over another burnt offering at the breakfast table is the farthest thing from his mind right now.  
  
Again the cry came back, more vivid now. Then the swishing sound of a blade cutting through the air.  
  
He remembers it now.  
  
There was another sound after that.  
  
The sound of the blade hitting something. Cutting through.  
  
Kenshin shook his head, leaning against the door weakly.  
  
Why couldn't he remember all of it? Why do they come only in meaningless sequence, in disrupted motion?  
  
Why don't they make sense at all?  
  
And what does he have to do with it? 


	3. Heal Me

Chapter 2. The Healer  
  
"Kenshin!!!!!"  
  
Kaoru's shrill scream pierced through the peaceful morning, startling Kenshin who almost dropped the empty bucket he would use to fetch water from the well. Even Ayame and Suzume, who were seated nearby watching Kenshin move up and about, almost jumped off their seats.  
  
Slowly he put the bucket down, wondering what got Miss Kaoru riled up so early in the morning.  
  
"What is it, Miss Kaoru?" he called out.  
  
Kaoru appeared through the doorway leading to the dojo. "Have you seen Sano and Yahiko anywhere? They promised to help with the cleaning up and I don't see them anywhere!"  
  
Kenshin looked around, remembering he had not seen the two since breakfast this morning. He turned to the two little girls.  
  
"Ayame, Suzume, have you seen Sano and Yahiko?"  
  
Both shook their heads, their eyes wide with innocence.  
  
"But I saw them leave quietly through the gate after they had breakfast," Ayame said in a low whisper to Kenshin.  
  
Understanding, Kenshin nodded and said softly, "Don't let Miss Kaoru hear you say that." He looked at Kaoru and said aloud, "I don't know where they are, Miss Kaoru. Don't worry; after I do the laundry I will help you clean up the dojo. Will that be alright?"  
  
Kaoru thought about this for a moment, her brows knotting together as a hundred other thoughts as to Sanosuke and Yahiko's whereabouts assailed her. Then, seeing no point in needless worrying over those two useless freeloaders, she said, "Alright. But better make it quick, Kenshin!"  
  
"I will," he promised, reaching for the bucket once again. "I will be done in a few minutes."  
  
As she stomped off back inside, Kenshin sighed and picked up the bucket once more.  
  
'I better hurry or Miss Kaoru will truly get mad,' he thought to himself as he reached the well and leaned down to get some water.  
  
Suddenly he froze as he saw his image on the water.  
  
'Strange,' he thought. 'I thought I saw another image in the water other than my reflection.' He blinked and once again looked at the dark water.  
  
Sure enough, he was not imagining things.  
  
As he leaned closer, the shapes slowly began to take form and he sucked in his breath as they seemed to materialize into vivid images and figures.  
  
A little boy with a wide-toothed grin...and yet another...There were two if them, and they were both spitting images of Kenshin.  
  
Suddenly the image of the two little boys faded, and just when Kenshin thought the illusion would end, he saw the figure of a young lady, dressed in an odd assortment of garments that was anything but a kimono. The entire length of her leg was encased in what seemed to him like a thick and stiff fabric, and she was not wearing slippers. Instead she had on a pair of black footwear with quite a lofty heel.  
  
It was for a split second, but she seemed to turn to look in his direction and Kenshin held his breath, reading fear – and anger – in her eyes. But what jarred him the most was what he saw on her left cheek.  
  
An X scar.  
  
"Kenshin?"  
  
Ayame's voice broke through Kenshin, and in the images in the water, for they vanished.  
  
He turned to find Ayame and Suzume standing beside him. Once more he glanced at the water, but the images were gone. It was just...water.  
  
It felt almost as though he had never seen anything.  
  
He turned his attention back to the two little girls. "What is it, Ayame?" he enquired.  
  
Suzume stood on tiptoes and tried to peer down into the well. "What are you looking at in the water, Kenshin?"  
  
He shook his head, pulling Suzume away from the well. "Now, now, Suzume, remember not to go anywhere near the well, or you will fall in the water."  
  
"But we wanted to see!" Ayame insisted as Kenshin picked him up as well and began marching them back to where they were previously perched.  
  
"There is nothing to see," said Kenshin, trying to convince himself as much as the little girls. "Now stay here and be good girls until Dr. Gensai comes along."  
  
"Yes, Kenshin!" the two girls exclaimed in unison and, satisfied that they will heed his words, Kenshin went back to the well and retrieved water with the bucket without as much as a glance in the water.  
  
It unnerved him, to say the least. The images did.  
  
Yet he knew they were somehow connected to the dreams he's been having.  
  
The woman in his dreams. He had never seen her face, but he knew she was the very same he saw in the well.  
  
He grew still at the shuffling sound he heard just as Ayame was pointing at something.  
  
"There's somebody at the gate, Kenshin!" she yelled in excitement.  
  
Kenshin turned towards the gate to find a young man standing there, looking in. Leaving the bucket behind, he strode to where the stranger was standing.  
  
"Good morning, sir," he said pleasantly, yet with wary eyes. Paranoia seemed to have crept up on him lately. "Is there anything I can do to help you?"  
  
The new arrival who, Kenshin discovered upon closer inspection was about in his late twenties and around his own age, looked towards the dojo. He was quite tall, perhaps as tall as Sanosuke, but this one is much thinner. His hair was tied back from his face with a blue piece of cloth. He looked thoroughly exhausted. And hungry.  
  
The new arrival regarded Kenshin carefully with guarded eyes.  
  
"Is this the Kamiya dojo?" he asked in a weary voice, and Kenshin noted the small pack on his back and the short stick he seemed to use as a cane.  
  
"Yes, it certainly is," Kenshin said, his paranoia fading as he assumed this was just another traveler who happened to pass by, looking for the dojo. "Were you looking for something? Or someone?"  
  
The stranger nodded. "I am from Kyoto, and I have been traveling for days. Every inn in town is filled up, and somebody told me I could find some accommodation in the Kamiya dojo, if only for tonight."  
  
His brows meeting in confusion, Kenshin said, "I don't know. We do not normally take in boarders. Besides, I do not own the place." Seeing the crestfallen look that came over the newcomer, Kenshin suddenly felt bad. "But we could talk to the Master and ask her. She is inside."  
  
Hope seemed to fill the other man's eyes, and Kenshin smiled in a friendly manner. "You must be weary. Why don't you come in for a while and have a drink while I call Miss Kaoru?"  
  
Gratefully the new arrival bowed his head low. "Thank you for your kindness. Pardon me, but I have not introduced myself. I am Nobunada Taro."  
  
Kenshin bowed his head low. "My name is Kenshin, Kenshin Himura."  
  
For a moment something flickered in the other man's eyes but it was gone before Kenshin could probe it further.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Taro sat there, clearly uncomfortable for being out under such scrutiny by Kaoru, Sanosuke, Yahiko, and the two cute little girls who seemed to take an interest in him. The food that was previously served by Kaoru minutes ago still sat on top of the table, untouched.  
  
However, looking at the served food, which is basically burnt rice, Kenshin admitted he would not dare touch it if he were in Taro's position.  
  
Deciding to end their guest's misery, Kenshin said, "So, Mister Taro. You came a long way to get here."  
  
Taro nodded immediately, relieved that somebody finally broke the awkward silence. "I just arrived this morning. And please, Mr. Himura, call me Taro."  
  
"I will, if you would call me Kenshin."  
  
Taro nodded politely.  
  
The ever-paranoid Sanosuke could not help himself. "And what business would bring a man all the way from Kyoto?"  
  
"I am a healer."  
  
"A what?" Yahiko asked, looking at Taro as though he had two heads with what he just stated.  
  
Patiently Taro repeated what he said. "I am a healer. I travel from place to place, but I am originally from Kyoto. That is where I was born."  
  
"So what you're saying is," Sanosuke said thoughtfully, "you're a doctor."  
  
A contemplative look overcame Taro's weather-beaten face as he spoke slowly. "Yes, but not quite."  
  
"What does that mean? You said you are a healer. Like Megumi - "  
  
Kenshin cut off Sanosuke, suddenly intrigued with Taro. "I don't think that is the type of healing Taro is referring to, Sano. Am I right, Taro?"  
  
Taro nodded solemnly. "I heal illnesses, but I would like to think I am a healer of the soul, more than the body."  
  
"I'm confused," Yahiko said.  
  
"That makes two of us," Sanosuke muttered, still looking at their guest with suspicion.  
  
Kaoru finally noticed Taro had not touched the food. "Aren't you hungry, Taro? You haven't eaten your food!"  
  
Yahiko gave Kaoru a dirty look. "Hey, Kaoru! Are you blind or something? Who would eat something like - " The words died on his lips as he saw Sano lunging for the food and shoving it down his mouth.  
  
This instantly elicited a loud slap on the head from Kaoru.  
  
"Sanosuke! Where are your manners?" Kaoru scolded Sano, much to the amusement of the others. By this time Ayame and Suzume were now seated on both sides of Taro, looking up at him curiously.  
  
Kaoru turned to Taro. "You can stay in the shed, Taro. It just needs a little cleaning, that's all. I am sure Yahiko and Sanosuke would be willing to give a hand in cleaning it up, won't you?" she asked, smiling sweetly at the two.  
  
Both Sanosuke and Yahiko nodded dumbly, knowing their refusal would make Kaoru raise hell.  
  
Taro raised his hand. "Oh, no, Miss Kaoru. That really is not necessary. I will be staying here only for tonight. Tomorrow I will go back to town. Maybe there will be available rooms at the local inns by then."  
  
"How long will you be in town?" Kenshin inquired.  
  
"For a week or so."  
  
"Then you should stay here at the dojo," Kaoru insisted. "Free room and board."  
  
Taro shrugged. "Well, if you insist..." He reached into his small pack and retrieved a few gold coins. "Then at least let me pay for it."  
  
Kaoru shook her head. "That's not necessary, Taro. We'll be glad to put you up for as long as you are in town."  
  
"I insist," Taro said firmly. For a moment, Kenshin thought Kaoru would stand her ground but one look at Taro's face and she finally relented.  
  
"Oh, alright!" Kaoru said. Turning to Yahiko, she said, "Yahiko, would you give our guest a hand and clean the shed?"  
  
Sanosuke was looking at Kaoru in confusion. "How come you weren't that gracious to us before?"  
  
There were daggers in her eyes when she turned to Sanosuke. "That's because you freeloaders are no help around here! You only eat and do nothing!"  
  
"Uh-oh," Yahiko said, tugging at Sanosuke's sleeve. "Come on, Sano. Let's go clean the shed before she kills us!"  
  
As Sanosuke and Yahiko rushed off, followed by a spitting mad Kaoru, Kenshin was left alone with Taro, who was staring back at the two little girls.  
  
Suddenly Ayame giggled. "You have nice eyes," she said in her small voice.  
  
"Why, thank you," Taro replied graciously. He reached out and stroked the girl's hair. "You have nice hair."  
  
Suzume spoke from his other side. "What about me? Don't I have nice hair, too?"  
  
Taro hastened to reassure the other girl. "But of course, you have!"  
  
"They instantly adore you," said Kenshin, and Taro looked at him with a warm expression on his face.  
  
"They are cute. Where is their grandfather?" he asked.  
  
This made Kenshin pause, the smile vanishing from his face as he looked closer at Taro.  
  
Carefully, Kenshin replied, "He went to the next town to see a patient."  
  
"And Takani Megumi went with him?"  
  
"Yes." Kenshin began to smell something mysterious about this man.  
  
"What brought you here, exactly?" he asked in a quiet voice. "And don't give me that excuse of being a healer, because I do not believe that is your real reason. How do you know about Dr. Genzai, and Megumi?"  
  
As though realizing his blunders, Taro stared at Kenshin for a moment. Then, he smiled a little.  
  
"I have no bad intentions for coming here, Kenshin Himura," he said. "I told you, I am a healer. And I was sent here to heal someone." He got to his feet and grabbed his pack. "For now that is all you need to know."  
  
He moved to the doorway, Ayame and Suzume following closely behind.  
  
"Taro," Kenshin called out and felt the other man stop. "I just want to ask you one question, and after that, I will have no more."  
  
Taro sighed. "What is it?"  
  
"Who is it that you came here to heal?"  
  
It took a moment for Taro to reply, but when he did, there was such conviction in his voice.  
  
"You." 


	4. Broken Soul

Chapter 3. Broken Soul  
  
Kenshin went to sleep that night with only one hope.  
  
That he would not dream.  
  
But often, what one hopes for is far from what would actually happen.  
  
No sooner had he drifted off to sleep when he opened his eyes and found himself in the middle of nowhere.  
  
Nowhere. At least that's what it seemed to him, as he looked around, looking lost amid these unfamiliar surroundings. Glancing around, he saw he was standing in a wide alley, caught in between a high wall and another, lower wall.  
  
This is more vivid than any of his other dreams, he thought, as he moved towards the lower wall and tried to peer to the other side.  
  
It was dark as night, and in the distance he could see tiny pinpoints of light. It looks like the city of Tokyo at night, but the lights were unusually bright, and composed of a myriad of colors that he does not remember ever seeing in the city.  
  
He turned around abruptly when he heard the sound of footsteps running through the pavement toward him.  
  
His breath caught in his throat when he saw a lone figure running in his direction, as though chased by a thousand demons.  
  
As the figure drew closer, Kenshin realized it was a girl. A lady. Her long hair was tied back from her face in a ponytail, and she was wearing men's clothes.  
  
When she was almost where he was standing, he found his voice. "Excuse me," he said.  
  
But she did not seem to hear him as she ran right past him.  
  
Baffled, Kenshin moved to follow her, but stopped when another – louder – sound came from behind.  
  
When he turned around, he saw four other figures racing towards him, and he realized these were the ones chasing the lady.  
  
'This would not do," he thought, seeing injustice in the thought of four men pursuing a lone defenseless woman. He stood to face the oncoming pursuers, moving to reach for his sakaba.  
  
But his hand froze.  
  
His sword is gone.  
  
Kenshin looked down and saw his sword was not where it was supposed to be.  
  
Making his mind up, Kenshin remained standing there, waiting for the four pursuers.  
  
"Hold it right there!" he yelled at them.  
  
To his horror, they did not seem to hear him. Instead they kept right on and just when he thought they would run through him, they stopped.  
  
He sighed with relief. Maybe this could be done through talking.  
  
But before he could open his mouth to speak, one of the pursuers spoke.  
  
"Tired of running?"  
  
A woman's voice spoke from behind.  
  
"Tired of chasing?"  
  
Kenshin turned around and was surprised to see the lady standing there. He thought she had kept on running.  
  
"What are you doing here?" he demanded. "Go! Now! Run!"  
  
But she did not say anything, her steely gaze piercing through him. In the darkness, all he could make out were her eyes that seemed to gleam.  
  
Suddenly it occurred to him.  
  
She could not see him! And apparently neither could her pursuers sense his presence!  
  
Kenshin almost felt like a ghost in this alley.  
  
The man who spoke a while ago let out a cackle of laughter that sounded thoroughly evil even to Kenshin's trained ears.  
  
"You have some nerve, girl. Too bad that courage that you inherited from your ancestors will end here and now!"  
  
The four men moved forward and this time Kenshin got a clear view of them.  
  
Ninjas, he thought, noting the masks and the clothes. Although these looked more sinister than the ones he had the misfortune to encounter many times before.  
  
She spoke once more.  
  
"One thing's for sure, though," she said, taking a step forward. "You will not be the ones who will end it. And not here, not now."  
  
Kenshin blinked once, twice, as her face came into full view.  
  
Her eyes were now ablaze, and he could see she was in a fit of rage; rage that overwhelmed her fear that he was sure was in there somewhere, cloaked effectively by her courage in facing these four.  
  
But what caught his eye was the scar on her left cheek.  
  
Kenshin stood there, transfixed, as she drew something from her side.  
  
A sword.  
  
His sakaba.  
  
The reverse edge glinted against the dim light as she held it up in front of her.  
  
"Who wants to go first?" she said softly, almost menacingly.  
  
The following scenes were almost like a blur. Three of the four pursuers charged forward with loud cries, running straight through Kenshin as if he were thin air.  
  
The girl was ready when they came upon her. With just one swing of the sakaba the three were thrown to the ground, their own swords dropping from their hands as they reached to clutch their respective wounds, moaning.  
  
With a dispassionate look the girl looked at the three writhing in pain. "I guess you all could not wait for your turns, huh?"  
  
The fourth man, their leader who had been doing all of the talking a while back, let out a grunt.  
  
"I see you have the skills. No wonder they want you dead."  
  
With lightning-quick speed the leader had drawn his sword and rushed at her.  
  
Paralysis seemed to creep into Kenshin's every vein as she saw the man's quick blade pierce through her left shoulder.  
  
"No!"  
  
The cry of agony was torn out of her mouth.  
  
- and out of his.  
  
Kenshin sat up, tiny beads of sweat forming on his forehead.  
  
Without a thought he got to his feet and stepped out into the night, pulling the door shut behind him almost soundlessly.  
  
When he reached the shed, he lifted his fist to knock but stopped when he noticed it was opened an inch, and he could see light coming from inside.  
  
He drew a deep breath.  
  
"Taro," he called out quietly. "I know you are awake. Can we talk?"  
  
Taro's reply was soft. "It is open."  
  
Taro was seated on the floor, in the lotus position, a single candle blazing before him, its tiny flame causing tiny shadows to dance on the walls of the shed.  
  
Kenshin stood at the door, silently watching the healer.  
  
Taro spoke without looking at Kenshin.  
  
"You had the dream again," he said, and this made Kenshin look at him with a start.  
  
Slowly Kenshin stepped inside the shed, knowing he could find answers from him.  
  
"Was it clearer to you this time? The dream, I mean. Was it more vivid, more meaningful?"  
  
Without answering, Kenshin sat down opposite Taro, this time forcing the healer to look at him.  
  
Taro returned his gaze. Suddenly his eyes narrowed as he said, "Your scar."  
  
Kenshin lifted his fingers to the scar on his face, feeling it throb again.  
  
"It bleeds," Taro whispered almost in awe.  
  
Lifting his fingers to the light of the candle, Kenshin saw blood.  
  
Shaking his mind away from his bleeding scar Kenshin looked Taro in the eye.  
  
"You said you are a healer, and you came here to help me."  
  
"Yes," Taro replied solemnly.  
  
"Prove it."

* * *

a huge thanks to PraiseDivineMercy and penguin27 for pointing that out...hehe...I have made the necessary revisions, and I hope that does not stop you guys from reading this and leaving some reviews. See? I learn a lot just by your reading! Thanks so much, very much appreciated! 


	5. Reasons

Chapter 3. Reasons  
  
Shadows danced against the walls as an unseen soft breeze blew in through the tiny gaps in the walls and roof of the shed. The flame of the candle flickered several times, but never went out.  
  
Silence settled between the two of them for a long time as they sat across one another, their gazes unwavering as they stared at each other.  
  
"Prove it." Kenshin repeated his challenge a while back, but now it sounded more like a plea.  
  
When Taro spoke, it was in a loud voice. "I think you are not the only one who needs convincing."  
  
"I beg your pardon?" Kenshin asked, wondering what he is talking about.  
  
Taro went on. "I know you are out there. Why don't you join us?"  
  
Kenshin turned as the door was pushed open, revealing Sanosuke.  
  
"Sano?" he uttered in confusion.  
  
Sanosuke gave a wry smile. "I heard noises," he said as he also came in, closing the door behind him. "Besides," he added, throwing a wary look in the healer's direction, "I do not trust this guy. No offense," he added as an afterthought.  
  
Taro nodded, smiling slightly. "None taken."  
  
"Now," Sanosuke said, dropping down beside Kenshin, "tell us we are not wasting our time here."  
  
Taro directed his gaze at Kenshin. "I do not think Kenshin would be here if he thought he is wasting his time. Am I right, Battousai?"  
  
Sanosuke started at the name Taro called Kenshin. "Hey!" he exclaimed in astonishment. "How did you - "  
  
"I know a lot more about Mr. Himura than you thought possible, Mr. Sagara."  
  
Kenshin decided to go straight to the point.  
  
"You said you came to heal me," he said. "What made you think I needed healing?"  
  
"Don't you?"  
  
"Stop speaking in riddles," he said, keeping his calm.  
  
"I was not aware I was speaking in riddles."  
  
Kenshin tried another tack. "You said earlier today that you were sent here to heal someone. Who sent you?"  
  
Taro's gaze was straight when he spoke the name.  
  
"Seijurou Hiko."  
  
Kenshin's forehead creased in confusion. "Seiju Hiko?"  
  
"Your Master?" Sanosuke asked, glancing at Kenshin. Seeing his friend is as confused as he was, he turned to look at the healer. "How do you know Seiju Hiko?"  
  
"He happens to be my mentor." He hastened to explain when he saw the confusion in Kenshin deepening. "Not in fighting, of course. I could not wield a sword if my life depended on it. But Seiju Hiko taught me more than I could ever learn from others. That is also how I know of you. You are probably Seiju's best – and worst – student ever. But he loved you nonetheless. He sends his regards to everyone, especially to you."  
  
Kenshin nodded, then asked, "Why did you lie to us when you first arrived?"  
  
"I don't remember lying about anything," Taro said.  
  
"You feigned ignorance, Taro. You pretended you knew nothing about me."  
  
Slowly he nodded. "Oh, that." He grinned. "Would you have let me in had I told you right off the bat that I was sent here by Seiju Hiko to heal you?" He shook his head when Kenshin could not respond to this. "I guessed as much."  
  
"Why did he send you all the way here to find me?"  
  
"Because I had a vision."  
  
"A vision?"  
  
"Yes, Mr. Sagara," Taro said tolerantly, "a vision. And I told him about it."  
  
"What vision?"  
  
"A vision about you."  
  
"Great," Sanosuke remarked. "You're not only a healer. You're also a visionary. What are you gonna tell us next? You're the Emperor of Japan?"  
  
"I would not go that far," Taro said, latching on to Sanosuke's witticism with the mildest of intolerance.  
  
"I want to know about your vision," Kenshin said, seemingly oblivious to the verbal sparring of the two men. "What does it have to do with me?"  
  
Taro pulled his gaze away from Sanosuke and fixed his attention on Kenshin.  
  
"It mainly concerns you, Kenshin."  
  
Sanosuke is getting impatient. "Stop with these merry-go-round and just tell us what it is that you really want from Kenshin!"  
  
Before Taro could reply to Sanosuke's outburst, Kenshin spoke.  
  
"I do not want to take up much of your time, Sano. You don't have to stay if you don't want to."  
  
Sanosuke took a deep breath. "Alright. I'm sorry."  
  
After giving Sanosuke a disdainful glance, Taro turned to Kenshin.  
  
"How are the dreams, Kenshin?" he asked.  
  
Kenshin decided to be honest about it. "They get worse every time."  
  
"And tonight? How was it?"  
  
"The same thing. Only this time, the images are clearer."  
  
"What did you see?"  
  
Kenshin remembered the dream. "The same thing. Only this time, I found I was in an alley, and the figures were sharper. Even the voices could be heard clearly."  
  
Taro was silent for a long while. "Did it mean anything to you?"  
  
Kenshin slowly shook his head.  
  
Sanosuke spoke up. "How did you know about Kenshin's dreams?"  
  
"Because I saw them, too."  
  
"You saw them? How?"  
  
Taro shrugged. "I don't know. I just do."  
  
"Let me tell you, Taro. I do not believe in magic."  
  
"Neither do I," Taro said. "But I know what I saw. And I also know they would happen. Do you really think Seijurou Hiko would send me to find you if he did not trust my visions?"  
  
"Wait a second," Sanosuke interrupted. "How can we even be sure that Seijurou Hiko really sent you, or that he really knows you enough to take you into his confidence and tell you about Kenshin?"  
  
Taro sighed and said, "Seiju told me he asked Kenshin to take the mantle and be the 15th Master of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu, but Kenshin refused. Does anyone else know about that, Kenshin?" he asked.  
  
Kenshin shook his head.  
  
"And you had a name before Seiju gave you the name Kenshin Himura. Your name was Shinta. Am I right?"  
  
"Fine, you made your point, you do know Seijurou Hiko." Sanosuke shook his head. "But how do we know we can fully trust you?"  
  
"You don't," was Taro's flat reply.  
  
This was not reassuring for Sanosuke, who shook his head in disbelief.  
  
"Don't worry, Sano," Kenshin said softly. "The Master would not have sent him if he could not be trusted."  
  
"Oh, Kenshin, sometimes you could be so naïve!"  
  
Kenshin ignored Sanosuke's statement.  
  
"How can you help me?" Kenshin asked Taro directly.  
  
"I could show you my vision," Taro said. "I could help you fully see your dreams. But I could do no more than that."  
  
"You can't tell me what the dreams mean?"  
  
Taro shook his head slowly. "It is up to you to figure out the meaning. I am only here to guide you."  
  
"And how do you propose to go about this?" Sanosuke inquired, his interest suddenly piqued.  
  
"Have you ever tried 'hypnosis'?"  
  
"Hypno-what?" Sanosuke repeated.  
  
"I've heard of that method before," Kenshin said, "but I have never tried it."  
  
"Are you willing to do it?"  
  
"Will it be painful?" Sanosuke asked, suddenly nervous.  
  
"It depends on what one would see." Taro turned to Kenshin. "Are you up to it?"  
  
Kenshin needed only a few seconds to reach a decision. Once more feeling a slow burn on his cheek, he said,  
  
"Let's do it."  
  
++++++++++++++++++  
  
Hi, penguin27! Nice to see you here again! Btw, I know the sakabatou is a reverse-blade sword, but I kinda used the word sakaba, y'know, just to inject a sense of familiarity since Kenshin practically lives with it...have I written anything that would make you think it was not? ( and the foreword, I know it is usually dispensed with by most writers nowadays, but it was just my way of putting in a disclaimer, instead of disclaiming every beginning of a chapter. I hope you forgive that. And it is also my way of having an advance apology for any errors..hehe! thanks for reviewing, guys! It helped a lot! 


	6. Thick as Mist

Chapter 5. Thick as Mist.  
  
The year is 2004.  
  
He was not sure how he found out, but out of nowhere the year seemed to jump out at him.  
  
2004.  
  
In his dreams he jumped 124 years into the future.  
  
So that is why the place seemed familiar, and yet particularly strange, to him.  
  
He looked around him and found he was back in that dark alley. Something told him that the girl and her pursuers would not be here for a few minutes yet.  
  
With quick strides he ran to the direction where he knew she would come from, hoping he would see something that would make things clearer.  
  
When he reached the end of the alley he quickly rounded the corner, troubled that nobody seems to be frequenting this area.  
  
Kenshin had been sprinting for quite a while when he stopped at the sound of people talking in hushed tones.  
  
He moved against the wall, craning his neck to catch the words.  
  
"Tonight, we have to get her, or the boss will have our hide."  
  
"Yeah," came another man's voice. "I'm sick and tired of him breathing down our neck every time she slips from our grasp."  
  
"Then quit yakking and do your thing! She's just a girl, after all!"  
  
Kenshin froze as he recognized the voice of the last man who spoke. He sounded like the leader of the four men in his dreams.  
  
Slowly he moved his head to sneak a peek at the conversing men.  
  
True enough, they were the four attackers in his dreams, and they were poised as though they were waiting for someone to pass this way.  
  
One of the men spoke in a low voice.  
  
"Are you sure she will come this way?"  
  
"Of course!" hissed the leader. "Our people have been tracking her for the past few days. Any minute now she will be here. Whatever happens, you must all remember she is just a girl."  
  
"Yeah," said the man who asked the question. "A girl who could kick major ass! From the way she had continually eluded our grasp and kicked the shit out of most of our men, I am quite ready to believe she has the skill of the Old School."  
  
"It doesn't matter! She is still a girl!"  
  
The other guy muttered, "Say that again when you're down on the ground, begging for her not to cut your head off!"  
  
"She's a pacifist, or at least the boss says she is. She would not kill anyone!"  
  
Kenshin moved his head back quickly as one of the men turned his head in his direction.  
  
Which was silly, he realized at exactly that very same moment. This isn't real. They could not see him.  
  
Carefully he eased out of his hiding place and walked towards the men. Sure enough, neither of them felt his presence among them. They remained crouched low behind the wall, looking at the walkway down below.  
  
Kenshin even stood beside the leader, trying to assess his face beneath the mask. He knew it was useless, since he would not be able to recognize him anyway. These men live in the year 2004. Meanwhile he is from 1880.  
  
The guy on the leader's left whispered, "What else do we know about this Asha?"  
  
The leader shrugged. "She is a journalist, she has some martial arts skills, she comes from a long line of swordmasters, and she carries a secret that the boss wants."  
  
"Then why does the boss want her dead?"  
  
"Because she could not be caught alive, stupid!" The leader shook his head in exasperation. "The boss figured if we could not get the secret out of her, then we'd better finish her off before others could get wind of her existence."  
  
"Hmm...I wonder what secret that is?"  
  
"I wouldn't know," the leader said.  
  
"What if it is valuable, this secret? We could take it for ourselves!"  
  
The leader looked at his companion with derision. "The boss says to finish her off, and so we shall! Now stop talking and keep your eyes open."  
  
A lot of questions flew in Kenshin's mind. Who is this girl named Asha? And why are they after her? What secret are they talking about?  
  
The bigger question is: why did Taro said this concerns him?  
  
Suddenly he sensed something in the air, a fact that amazed him since he thought even his sharp senses deserted him in this time and place, in this state of mind.  
  
Slowly he turned his head and saw her.  
  
She was moving stealthily, jumping through the wall almost soundlessly, considering she was wearing those incongruous shoes with those heels.  
  
Suddenly he felt himself urging her to go on and stay down as she moved through the walls so as not to attract the attention of these four guys.  
  
But to his chagrin she stopped when she was on top of the high wall, and yelled.  
  
"I hope I have not kept you waiting!" she said.  
  
At this the four men turned to look up at her.  
  
"Get her!" the leader shouted and they all rushed forward.  
  
Kenshin thought he saw a trace of a smile on her face as she jumped down from the wall and ran away.  
  
Adrenaline pumping through him, Kenshin ran the other way, hoping he would come out behind Asha when she faces the men.  
  
As he ran he marveled at his own speed. It felt almost as though he were flying. Then it occurred to him. He isn't really here. He is more like a mirage.  
  
So it came as no surprise when he got back to the area where he first arrived at and saw her stop from her flight and turn around to face the oncoming men.  
  
The four, upon seeing her stop, also stopped in their tracks.  
  
Kenshin moved to stand beside Asha and gazed at her profile.  
  
He wasn't imagining it. She really had the scar, although not as sharp and visible as his. In fact, at this close range, it did not look like a scar that would arise from a wound or cut.  
  
It looked more like a simple birthmark.  
  
But it looked – unnervingly – like his very own scar.  
  
Unconsciously Kenshin touched the scar on his face, wondering why this girl named Asha also has it.  
  
Asha is striking. He was sure that in broad daylight she would be very beautiful. He could only see the bridge of her nose, her almond eyes that even now are blazing with barely concealed anger.  
  
He tore his gaze away from her when one of the men spoke.  
  
"Tired of running?"  
  
"Tired of chasing?"  
  
Laughter. "You have some nerve, girl. Too bad that courage that you inherited from your ancestors will end here and now!"  
  
The four men moved forward, but Kenshin sensed she had no plans of running or even turning back.  
  
Instead she reached for a sword from her side.  
  
She spoke in a cold voice. "One thing's for sure, though. You will not be the ones who will end it. And not here, not now."  
  
He blinked at the image of the sakaba. He could not be wrong. The sword, glinting in her hand as she raised it before her, was unmistakably his. The very blade crafted by the hands of Shakku, handed to Kenshin by his son.  
  
"Who wants to go first?" she challenged.  
  
Kenshin seemed to hold his breath as he watched her execute a perfect Ryuu Kan Sen Tsumuji, bearing to the air so gracefully, spinning so fast she looked like a dancer defying the laws of gravity. With a single move, the three men were sprawled on the ground.  
  
She landed on both feet, still so graceful.  
  
"I guess you all could not wait for your turns, huh?"  
  
"I see you have the skills. No wonder they want you dead." Then came the attack, as Kenshin stood by helplessly, his eyes wide, dread filling him as the images from his dream came back to him.  
  
"No!" The cry was torn out of her when suddenly the leader's blade pierced through her left shoulder.  
  
But something happened that Kenshin did not see in any of his dreams.  
  
With a swift move Asha moved the left side of her body to the back such that the blade of the leader did not entirely penetrate through her back. Falling on her right knee, she rammed the hilt of her sword right under the leader's chin, sending him backward.  
  
Before the leader could gather his bearings and get back up, she was looming above him, the tip of her sword on the base of his neck.  
  
"Move, and you die," she said in an icy tone.  
  
The leader only gawked up at her. Kenshin moved forward to get a clearer view of Asha's voice.  
  
The tip of the sakaba dug deeper into the tender flesh, and Kenshin suddenly became afraid she would finally end the man's life.  
  
She was breathing heavily, looking down at him, the wound on her shoulder forgotten.  
  
"Tell your boss to stay away from me and my people. Or I would not hesitate to end your life."  
  
The leader met her gaze. "You have something the boss wants."  
  
"Tell him it is not his for the taking." She leaned closer and whispered, "I warn you. Do not awaken the dead."  
  
Then, forcefully, using the blunt edge of her sword, she hit him on the side of his head, rendering him unconscious.  
  
For a moment she stared down at the unconscious man and whispered, "Do not awaken the dead. They are resting."  
  
She sheathed the sword and, with light feet, left the area.  
  
Kenshin was left there, standing, looking after her. When she disappeared from view, he turned to look down at the unconscious leader and the other three who were still having trouble fully regaining consciousness.  
  
He crouched low and looked closely at the leader's face.  
  
It's no use. They are unfamiliar.  
  
Suddenly he felt a strong breeze blow in, so strong that it sent his hair whipping around his face. When he finally managed to get them out of his eyes, he saw Taro seated before him.  
  
He blinked, and looked around, recognizing the shed, the flame in the wick of the single candle, the darkness of the 1880 night outside...  
  
Sanosuke was staring at him with expectation on his face.  
  
"Kenshin?" Sanosuke asked. "Are you alright?"  
  
He is back in his own time. He is awake.  
  
Sanosuke peered at him more closely.  
  
Kenshin looked back at Taro.  
  
"What did you see?" the healer asked solemnly. "What did you hear?"  
  
Slowly he repeated the words Asha had spoken.  
  
"Do not awaken the dead. They are resting."  
  
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
so there's the update, Brittanielove... ( thanks for the shout-out, and also to PraiseDivineMercy...the girl's identity remains a mystery..haha! hope you will read it till it is revealed! But you have some pretty good guesses there! Dragon_Master271, thanks for the assistance, and I would be reading Aka Ryu, don't worry! Now you piqued my interest for dragonlance. ( 


	7. Awake

Chapter 6. Awake  
  
"'Do not awaken the dead'?" Sanosuke glanced at Taro, who remained still all this time. "What does that mean? And who is this girl Asha?"  
  
Kenshin was staring intently at Taro, and the healer returned his gaze, unflinching. He had just recounted the events he had witnessed to Sanosuke and Taro and now, as the night drove into the earliest hours of the morning he had hoped the healer would hold the answers.  
  
But to his mild chagrin, Taro shook his head. "I do not know more than you have witnessed."  
  
"Wait a minute," Sanosuke said. "How come you know about what happened in Kenshin's dreams?"  
  
"Because I have also seen them, in the exact same way that Kenshin did."  
  
"And you could not tell us what it meant? Or who the girl and the pursuers were?"  
  
Taro shook his head and at this, Sanosuke scoffed. "What sort of a healer are you anyway?"  
  
The healer fixed his unnerving gaze upon Sano and it was clear he was having trouble holding on to his patience towards the man with the relentless questions. "I only saw the visions, Sanosuke Sagara. I do not know everything. I only came to make Kenshin see the dreams more clearly, not to spell out their meanings, which, if you care to know, are also beyond me. Besides," he looked back to Kenshin, "even if I did, I would not tell him just yet."  
  
"Why not?" Sanosuke demanded, but this time it was Kenshin who answered.  
  
"Because the only way I could be healed is if I do the discovery myself. Only," his voice lowered, "I do not have a clue how to go about it."  
  
"And the scar," Sanosuke added. "This is the first time I ever saw it bleed. I thought that was healed a long time ago."  
  
"Some wounds never heal," Taro said quietly. "And some scars are never truly sealed."  
  
"And how do you explain the scar that appeared on that girl's face?"  
  
Clearly the healer had no answer for this, as he turned to Kenshin. "What did you feel when you were there?" Taro inquired. "How did you feel towards the girl?"  
  
Kenshin's eyes took on that glazed look, as he imagined himself back in that alley, standing beside the girl named Asha.  
  
"I felt...a sense of familiarity. And protectiveness."  
  
"That's just silly," Sanosuke retorted. "How would you feel protective towards a girl you do not even know, and you could never possibly know unless you suddenly gain immortality and live till the year 2004!"  
  
Kenshin's eyes fixed on Taro, having the same questions Sanosuke just voiced out. Taro merely shrugged.  
  
"Your guess is as good as mine."  
  
Looking at the healer, Kenshin could not help but feel Taro was keeping something from them, some vital information, perhaps. Something that could at least shed some light on this mystery.  
  
Suddenly he froze, his every sense prickling at a small sound outside the compound. It must have been the breeze, or the slight movement of the leaves in the trees, or the other small sounds normally associated with the first hours of dawn, but he knew something – someone – was out there.  
  
Taro and Sanosuke noticed Kenshin's suddenly becoming tense. "What is it, Kenshin?" Sanosuke asked.  
  
Kenshin slowly got to his feet. "Let us continue this another time," he said, walking to the door, opening it and peering outside into the darkness.  
  
Sanosuke and Taro were instantly on their feet, following Kenshin as he stepped into the gloom. They both watched as Kenshin walked into the middle of the compound, looking out beyond the gates and the walls.  
  
Craning his neck, trying to peer through the dark cloud that permeated the earth at such an hour, Sanosuke said in a low voice loud enough for Kenshin to hear, "What is it?"  
  
Taro spoke calmly beside him. "It is nothing to be worried about, Sanosuke Sagara."  
  
Sanosuke glanced at him in further confusion. "How the hell would you know?"  
  
The healer merely gave him a look of pure pity over his being completely clueless, then turned to look at Kenshin, who was now standing still. He could almost feel all of the Battousai's senses alert.  
  
"Come out, whoever you are!" Kenshin called out. "Do not hide in the shadows!"  
  
Taro and Sanosuke waited with bated breaths as nothing seemed to stir. Sanosuke looked about ready to spring as though some monstrous being would jump out of the shadows towards Kenshin.  
  
Meanwhile beside him Taro seemed to be waiting in anticipation, but not for any trouble.  
  
Just when they thought there was really nothing there, just their imagination playing tricks on them, a figure stepped out from behind the gate.  
  
Kenshin was the first to recognize the tall figure. His face was hidden in the shadows, yet Kenshin sensed that familiarity brought by their prior encounters.  
  
Sanosuke was about to step forward but was pulled back by Taro. "What the - " He stopped when he heard Kenshin speak in a quiet voice.  
  
"Aoshi."  
  
They all stared at the figure as he stepped forward. There was no mistaking who it was.  
  
Aoshi Shinomori.  
  
Relief flooded Kenshin as he beheld his new bitter-fought friend. The last time he saw Aoshi was a few months ago, when he came here with Misao and Okina.  
  
The smile was wiped off Kenshin's face when he saw Aoshi's shoulders were slumped and the former Oniwabanshu almost stumble forward.  
  
"Aoshi!" The cry was torn out of his lips as he saw the other man try to move towards him, only to fall to the ground in pain.  
  
Kenshin was instantly beside the fallen man, Sanosuke and Taro not far behind.  
  
"Aoshi!" he called out the man's name. From the dojo everyone seemed to stir and Kaoru and Yahiko stepped out, their sleep disturbed.  
  
"What is going - " Sleep left Yahiko's eyes as he saw what was happening. "Kenshin?"  
  
Kaoru was rubbing the sleep off her eyes when she recognized the man on the ground. "Is that...Aoshi?"  
  
Kenshin shook Aoshi on the shoulders slightly. He still does not know the extent of Aoshi's injuries – or where they were. "What happened?" he asked.  
  
Beads of sweat formed on Aoshi's face as he struggled to focus his dazed eyes on Kenshin in the dark. "K-kenshin..." His voice came in rasps, and Kenshin knew he was in great pain.  
  
Taro reached Kenshin and Aoshi, literally pushing Sanosuke out of the way to get a clearer view of the injured man. He knelt beside Aoshi and with skillful hands tried to assess his injuries.  
  
After a few seconds, he said, "Let us bring him inside," and the nervous glance he threw around them was not lost on Kenshin.  
  
Again the nagging thought on Taro hiding something from them reinforced itself on Kenshin's mind. He has to find out soon. But not now. There is still a wounded man to attend to.  
  
He watched as Sanosuke and Taro helped Aoshi up and carried him inside.  
  
Kenshin was about to follow them when something gleamed in the ground. As he bent to pick it up, he noticed it was Aoshi's kodachi. Holding it in his hands almost reverently he followed the others inside, but not after throwing one last look at the gate, as though expecting someone to come through it any moment.  
  
But nothing did.  
  
Yet as he let himself into the dojo, he could not help but feel that they – whoever they are – were still out there. Watching.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~'  
  
As the red dawn broke through the horizon, signaling the entrance of yet another day, Kenshin kept vigil outside the door of the room where Aoshi lay, still tended by Taro and Megumi, whom Yahiko fetched a few hours ago to assist the healer.  
  
Beside him sat Sanosuke while an unusually quiet Yahiko stood by, waiting for any orders from the two healers at work. Kaoru was seated not too far away, looking agitated.  
  
Kenshin marveled at how things have become different. Finally everyone at the Kamiya dojo have come to accept Aoshi as a friend, and not the former Oniwabanshu leader who only wanted nothing but to kick the crap out of Kenshin and claim the title of the most powerful and strongest fighter around.  
  
Worry was etched all over their faces; the tension in the long wait was palpable in the early morning air.  
  
Beside him Sanosuke heaved a troubled sigh, shaking his head in disbelief. "I could not believe Aoshi is hurt. He is one of the strongest fighters I have ever seen!" He turned to Kenshin. "Who could have done it, Kenshin? And why is Aoshi here, so far away from the Aoiya, in the first place?"  
  
"I'm afraid we would have to wait until Aoshi could answer those questions himself, Sano. I am as puzzled as you are." And whoever he fought with is still out there, he added silently.  
  
Again came the sigh. "What a night this has been. I have never encountered so much mystery in a long time. First this...Taro guy, comes in, claiming to have the ability to heal you from heaven-knows-what. Then you have these dreams that are more confusing than enlightening. Then Aoshi appears, hurt from some unknown adversary." He shook his head. "I am almost afraid of the coming day."  
  
"I'm afraid the coming day holds more questions than answers, Sano," said Kenshin.  
  
Sanosuke leaned forward, looking closely at Kenshin's cheek. "The bleeding has stopped." He lifted a brow. "I do not normally believe in magic, and supernatural gibberish, but after seeing your scar bleeding, I was almost willing to accept anything."  
  
"I do not believe in those myself, Sano. But how do you explain it, really?"  
  
Their hushed conversation was interrupted when Megumi spoke behind them.  
  
"Kenshin, Aoshi wants to speak with you."  
  
Kenshin and Sanosuke exchanged wondering glances, then the former moved to go through the door. Megumi reached out to put a hand on his sleeve.  
  
"He is still quite weak. Do not make him exert too much."  
  
With a nod, Kenshin entered the room, instantly spotting Aoshi lying on the floor, Taro bending over him. Hesitantly Kenshin moved forward.  
  
Aoshi was awake, though barely, as Kenshin noted he was still somewhere in between consciousness. Taro looked up at him and nodded silently, as though saying it was alright for him to go near the wounded man.  
  
Kenshin could see Aoshi's middle was encased in Megumi's bandages, and his feverish eyes told him his temperature had not dissipated.  
  
Slowly turning his head, Aoshi looked up at Kenshin. "Kenshin..." he whispered.  
  
Kneeling down beside Aoshi, Kenshin said, "You should not tire yourself, Aoshi. You need to rest. We will find out who did this to you, then figure out what to do about it."  
  
But Aoshi seemed bent on telling him something, and even Taro seemed to agree to the idea. "He has something to say, Kenshin. Let him speak."  
  
Kenshin looked at Aoshi. Only one sentence slipped from his mouth before consciousness finally left him.  
  
"She – no – THEY are in trouble. Asha...and - " His words were cut off as sleep finally claimed him.  
  
Slowly Kenshin glanced up at Taro, who merely looked at him solemnly and said, "Looks like you are not the only one having those dreams, Kenshin."  
  
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Thanks to windsoffortune for taking notice. I'm a new fan of yours so...( and to Brittanie Love and PraiseDivineMercy on reading this. ( MUCH APPRECIATED! 


	8. A Dream Like Yours

Chapter 7. A Dream Like Yours  
  
"Surprisingly it was not a sword that wounded your friend, Kenshin."  
  
Taro's words vaguely registered in Kenshin's consciousness as his eyes remained fixed on the man lying in repose in the middle of the room, fitful dreams assailing him as his head moved from side to side and occasional groans would escape his lips, the words barely coherent.  
  
The three of them were standing by the doorway, and have remained in that area for the past hour or so. The sun is now fully up in the sky, and they all had a  
  
"Is he alright?" Kenshin asked worriedly without taking his eyes off Aoshi.  
  
"He will be," Taro reassured him. "His fever has already broken, but his temperature is not that stable just yet. He is already out of the woods, Kenshin. It's just the medicine working, don't worry."  
  
Sanosuke went back to what Taro first mentioned. "Hey, Taro, you said it was not a blade that wounded Aoshi. What was it, then?"  
  
Taro drew something from his pocket and showed it to them. An empty shell of a bullet.  
  
"What the - " Sanosuke looked at it closely. "A bullet?"  
  
"From a Gatling gun," Taro confirmed.  
  
"Like the one Kanryu Takeda used on the Oniwabanshu," Kenshin said quietly. He took a deep breath. "Aoshi is a powerful fighter. Anyone who could get close to him and manage to hurt him would have to be really strong and powerful to be able to pull that off. His succession technique would be enough to ward off anyone who will dare attack him. Taro," he said, finally turning his attention back to the healer, "where was he shot?"  
  
"From behind," Taro replied simply. "The bullet pierced his back, all the way through his chest. He did not see it coming."  
  
"Yes, he did," Kenshin said forcefully. "But it was probably too late before he could do anything to thwart it."  
  
Sanosuke snorted in distaste. "Trust anyone to hit their opponents from behind! They are cowards, that's what they are!"  
  
"The question is, who are they?" Kenshin shook his head in bewilderment. "Aoshi had long let go of his fighting days. He is a peaceful man now, leading the Aioya. Who could have done this? And why?"  
  
"Maybe it has something to do with the dreams," Taro said. A loud sigh came from Sanosuke, whose puzzlement had increased continuously since he heard what Aoshi told Kenshin before losing consciousness altogether.  
  
"This is beginning to spook me," he remarked. "Why would Aoshi have the same dreams?"  
  
"We do not know that for sure," Kenshin said, but something tells him it was sure. The look on Aoshi's face told him they had the same dreams. His eyes showed the same fear and uncertainty Kenshin felt every time he remembers those dreams.  
  
"I guess we would just have to wait for him to wake up," said Taro.  
  
And they did not have to wait long. True to Kenshin's estimation, Aoshi woke up near sundown. The leader of the Oniwabanshu is one strong and powerful fighter. He was not one to go weak for very long.  
  
After waiting patiently for Kaoru and Megumi to serve Aoshi some soup and give him another dose of some medicine, Kenshin, Sanosuke and Taro finally had their chance to speak with him. Although Aoshi seemed to still feel a lot of pain from his wound, it was clear he also wanted to talk.  
  
"I am sorry to have arrived like that," Aoshi said softly, giving an apologetic look at everyone, especially at Taro who was just introduced to him.  
  
"It was quite an entrance, but we do not mind," Kenshin reassured him. "Why have you come? And alone?"  
  
"I set out from the Aioya alone," Aoshi said. "Nobody knows I was coming here."  
  
"Misao must be worried sick right now." A picture of a spitting mad Misao flashed before Kenshin's mind and he shook his head in amusement.  
  
Aoshi did not say anything to this.  
  
"Who did this to you?" Sanosuke asked, and Aoshi's face became graver.  
  
"The same people who were after Asha," he replied, his eyes on Kenshin.  
  
"So it is true, then," Kenshin said. "You had the dreams, too."  
  
Silently Aoshi nodded.  
  
"What did you see?" Kenshin asked.  
  
"It does not matter what I saw," Aoshi replied. "But WHO. I saw her, Kenshin. Her name is Asha, or at least that was what one of the men called her."  
  
"But I got into that dream with Taro's hypnosis. I did not see you there, Aoshi."  
  
"That is because your dream is separate from his, although you had the same images," Taro explained. "If I were to do hypnosis on him right now, he would not see you, either." The healer turned to Aoshi. "Tell me, Aoshi. What did you see?"  
  
Aoshi breathed hard, wincing as a twinge of pain shot up his chest. "I was there, I saw the men pursuing her. Then she faced them. And fell them. But she did not kill them," he said, looking at Kenshin. "Then she ran off, towards me."  
  
Kenshin's brows met. "I did not see her running off to someone. My dreams ended when she fled the scene."  
  
"She ran towards me, and spoke to me."  
  
"She spoke to you?" Sanosuke was finding everything suddenly ludicrous.  
  
Aoshi ignored the taunting remark. "She spoke to me, and told me to run. Run while we could still get away from them."  
  
"She told you..." Kenshin spoke in a trance.  
  
"But I do not think she was speaking to ME directly. She was speaking to someone else, but it was through my eyes." Aoshi's brows knotted. "She called me Ken."  
  
"Ken..." Sanosuke looked at Kenshin. "Kensin...Ken." He shook his head. "This is becoming even more confusing!"  
  
"At first I did not understand, but then I saw the mark on her cheek," Aoshi continued.  
  
"The scar," Kenshin said, and Aoshi nodded.  
  
"That is why I came here."  
  
Kenshin drew a deep breath. "I am afraid you came here for nothing, Aoshi. I am in the dark here as much as you are. I do not know what the dreams mean."  
  
"But you have suspicions?"  
  
"Yes, but they are too far-fetched. And as I think on them more, there seems to be a lot more questions to be asked than answers."  
  
Sanosuke voiced out another of those questions. "What is Aoshi's involvement in all these?"  
  
It was Taro who spoke. "Their lives are tangled," he said, as though this was the answer for everything.  
  
Kenshin and Aoshi looked at each other, and that bond, that kinship that could only come about with time, became palpable.  
  
"Will you tell me about your suspicions?" Aoshi asked.  
  
Carefully, Kenshin replied. "I looked at Asha and I felt a sense of familiarity. The thing on my mind was...she is of my blood. My descendant. But I do not know more than that. I do not know why those men are after her, or what they were seeking from her. And now that you mentioned it, another question has come up. Who is Ken?"  
  
"Must be Aoshi's descendant as well."  
  
This quip by Sanosuke was meant to be a witticism, a sarcastic suggestion, but it seemed to hit the nail on the target, and three pairs of eyes turned to him. Sanosuke's eyes widened. "Wait a minute...you do not think..."  
  
"Could be," Taro said. "Otherwise, why else would the dreams come to him, and through the eyes of this...Ken?"  
  
Sanosuke groaned. "I am suddenly acquiring a splitting headache just thinking about this! Kenshin," he turned to his friend. "Do not tell me you are seriously considering this?"  
  
Kenshin did not answer his friend. "But another question still remains. Who shot you, Aoshi?"  
  
Aoshi shook his head. "I could not be sure but, believe it or not, when I felt the bullet hit me at the back and I fell down, I had a flash."  
  
"Great," Sanosuke said, rolling his eyes. "This just gets better and better."  
  
"Her face – Asha's face – rose before me, as in the dream, calling me Ken, telling me to run."  
  
Taro and Kenshin looked at each other, thinking the same thing. The same people who ambushed Aoshi had something to do with those dreams. But what?  
  
Before he could say anything, all four of them turned at the sound of a loud click not too far away.  
  
Too late, the gunshots rang through the air before they could anticipate it.  
  
"Get down!" Sanosuke shouted, pushing Kenshin to the ground.  
  
When Kenshin bent down on the floor beside Aoshi, he also felt the walls seem to crumble and he knew the gunshots were aimed at them. As he looked up and met Aoshi's dark eyes, he knew who were shooting at them.  
  
The same people who shot at Aoshi.  
  
Suddenly something snapped in Kenshin's mind and, despite the continuous onslaught of the bullets shooting holes in the walls, he tried to get up, one word coming out of his mouth in a cry.  
  
"Kaoru!"  
  
+++++++  
  
THANKS FOR THE R&R...Who is Asha? Soon enough, we'll find out. But we all have a clue who she is so...( 


	9. Hold Fast

HOLD FAST.

Faster than Sanosuke could say 'Don't!' Kenshin was already crawling towards the back wall of the shed, using his sword to hack a space wide enough to let him through.  
  
Through the rattling sound of gunshots he heard Sanosuke's yell. "Kenshin, wait up!"  
  
Kenshin turned his head long enough to see Taro bending over Aoshi, shielding the wounded man from the splinters of wood that now broke out around them. Sanosuke was also trying to crawl his way towards him, but he shook his head.  
  
"Stay with them, Sano!" he yelled back, squinting against the gloom. "Just in case!"  
  
It was obvious Sanosuke had other plans in mind but he nodded all the same and stopped from crawling. Not wasting any more time, Kenshin came through the back of the shed and walked in a low crouch behind the dojo, towards the kitchen where he knew Kaoru was.  
  
His heart is beating fast, drowning even the sound of gunshots coming from the front. He knew that whoever was shooting at them was concentrating the full force of their artillery at the shed, but he still could not help but fear that the kitchen is not spared.  
  
With a loud cry he hacked into the back wall of the kitchen outbuilding, bursting in and finding the place in disarray. True enough, a few bullets here and there pierced through the wall, causing utensils to shatter and break. But in the darkness of the kitchen he could not see a thing.  
  
"Kaoru?" he called out, fear gripping him from all sides. What if...what if...?  
  
He heard a whimper and jerked his head towards the corner. There, huddled behind the stove, is the trembling figure of Yahiko.  
  
Kenshin moved forward but jerked back in time to avoid a wayward bullet that that zinged about an inch from the tip of his nose. Then he lunged beside Yahiko.  
  
"Kenshin!" Relief is palpable as Yahiko recognized him. "What is going on? Who is shooting?"  
  
"I don't know," he answered, looking over Yahiko worriedly. "Are you hurt?"  
  
Still trembling, Yahiko shook his head. "I'm not shot, if that's what you mean."  
  
"Where's Miss Kaoru?" he asked, his earlier apprehension coming back.  
  
"She left half an hour ago, accompanied by Ayame and Suzume. They said they needed to buy a few things."  
  
If not for the urgency of the situation outside, Kenshin would have sunk down on the floor, all strength drained out of him. At least Kaoru is not anywhere near.  
  
Putting the thought behind him, he grabbed Yahiko by the arm. "Listen, we have to get out of here before it crashes down on us. Follow me!"  
  
Careful to keep their head down Kenshin led Yahiko towards the opening, fully aware that the teenage boy is close behind. When they broke through the other side, they made a wild dash towards the back of the shed, where they found Taro and Sanosuke hauling Aoshi out.  
  
The gunshots still rattled and Kenshin wondered what madness had overcome the person handling it.  
  
Sanosuke glanced up as the two of them rushed forward, his eyes darting between them. "Where's Kaoru?"  
  
"She's safe," Kenshin said and Sanosuke knew better than to press. Now is not the time. Kenshin threw a glance at Aoshi, who grunted as Taro heaved him out into the open. His wound clearly reopened, what with the worried glance Taro gave him.  
  
Biting his lip in determination, Kenshin turned to Yahiko. "You stay here." He nodded at Sanosuke. "Go round the other side. I'll take the other."  
  
"Right," Sanosuke said with a grim nod. "See ya!" Then he raced off in a low run, ready to inflict some damage.  
  
The first thing Kenshin saw as he moved to the side of the compound was the gun still rattling off, and one thing struck a chord in his memory. Kanryu Takeda's Gatling gun.  
  
But this was not a Gatling gun, it looked more slick, as though an improved version of that weapon that Kanryu had wield in their last encounter.  
  
The man behind the weapon was laughing madly, and Kenshin's eyes glinted in anger. Breathing hard, he tried to control that anger and launched himself, unnoticed, towards the gate.  
  
It must have come as a complete shock for the gunman when, out of nowhere, something flashing crossed his vision, and something seemed to go wrong with the gun. The bullets sputtered, then silenced.  
  
His eyes widened in horror as he saw the tip of the gun completely sliced off and, not a few feet away, a short man in pink kimono and flaming red hair stood, regarding him intently. In his hand was a long sword, no doubt the thing that flashed before his very eyes not a few seconds ago.  
  
The boss was right. The scar is very vivid.  
  
"Are you done?" the red-haired man inquired, almost politely. At this, the gunman's panic increased as he let go of the gun and made to take flight.  
  
He heard the scream before he felt the pain and heard the bones cracking on the side of his face. The last thing the gunman remembered before darkness claimed him was the sight of the polite swordsman and the gangster-like thug moving towards him.  
  
They heard the gunshots even as they were leisurely walking into town, thinking of a hundred new recipes they would probably be sampling at the Akabeko. Kaoru stopped in her tracks and swiveled, trying to figure out where the sounds were coming from.  
  
Her hand flew to her mouth as she realized it was coming from the direction of the dojo. "Kenshin!" she exclaimed and began running back, completely forgetting all about Ayame and Suzume, who were now running after her, as fast as their tiny legs could carry them.  
  
The hundred recipe possibilities were now replaced with a thousand possibilities of what could possibly have happened to Kenshin, Sanosuke and Yahiko. And the healer was there as well. And so is the wounded Aoshi.  
  
It seemed to take forever before the dojo came into view, and the gunshots already stopped.  
  
A gasp came out of her lips as she beheld the dojo, or what was left of it.  
  
There were bullet holes everywhere, and she could see that patching it up would take a considerable time and amount of money. But that was not what bothered her right now.  
  
The shed is far worse. It is beyond repair, its walls all but stripped off, the roof already about to cave in and crumble upon itself.  
  
"Oh, my God, Kenshin," she whispered as she moved through the gates, but Yahiko's voice stopped her.  
  
"Kaoru!"  
  
Relief swept through her as she saw Yahiko running from behind the dilapidated shed towards her. She was torn between crying and laughing upon seeing her student. But before she could say anything, he spoke hurriedly in a low tone.  
  
"Where are Ayame and Suzume?" he asked, reminding Kaoru that she was with the two little girls a while back. They could not see this whole place torn down like this!  
  
"They were catching up with me," Kaoru said, another worry added to her ever-growing list.  
  
"Go on out back," Yahiko said. "I'll take Ayame and Suzume back to the Akabeko. It's best to let them stay there until Dr. Genzai comes to get them."  
  
As he moved past her, she asked, "What happened? Where's Kenshin?"  
  
"Out back," Yahiko said briefly and rushed off to meet the two girls before they saw the state of things.  
  
Kaoru did not know how her feet were able to bring her to where Aoshi lay on the ground, fussed over by Taro who bound the wound yet again. A few steps away, Sanosuke was binding a disoriented lanky man that she had never seen before, with Kenshin standing at the side silently.  
  
He looked up just in time to see her standing there, taking the scene with her hands in her mouth. For a flitting moment, relief crossed his face, a small smile appearing, then he became serious again as he walked to meet her.  
  
"Miss Kaoru?" he inquired softly. "I was worried about you. Are you alright?"  
  
She could have hit him hard in the head right there and then, but she knew that seemed downright childish, considering the even that just happened at the dojo. Instead of answering, she nodded mutely, her eyes straying to the stranger, who was now coming around.  
  
Sanosuke did not seem to have any room for leniency whatsoever as he harshly questioned the gunman. "Who the hell are you?" he asked immediately, not bothering to give the gunman time to get his eyes into focus. "Speak, or I'll bash your head in!"  
  
Skeptically, but with a small amount of fear, the gunman eyed Sanosuke warily, irking the latter even more. "Don't think I won't do it!" Sanosuke threatened.  
  
The gunman looked at Sanosuke, then at Taro and Aoshi lying on the ground. The visible widening of his eyes at the sight of Aoshi did not go unnoticed by Sanosuke.  
  
"You've seen him before, haven't you?" he asked through gritted teeth. "You were the one who shot at Aoshi!" In anger he lifted his fist to hit the gunman again, but Kenshin's quiet voice stopped him.  
  
"Stop, Sano. The gentleman would not be able to answer our questions if you punch his mouth altogether."  
  
The sound of Kenshin's voice drew the gunman's attention and he turned his head to look at him and Kaoru. Again, his eyes widened at the sight of Kaoru, making Kenshin all the more suspicious.  
  
Kenshin spoke again, still calm. "Any minute now the police will be coming to check out the place," he said without taking his eyes off the stranger. "I suggest you answer our questions before we turn you over to them. Trust me, they will not be as forgiving as we are."  
  
Dubiously the gunman shot a glance at Sanosuke, not entirely believing there could be anyone more fearsome than this man standing over him.  
  
Sanosuke asked again. "Who are you, and why are you here? Why did you wreak damage to the place?"  
  
Seeing no way out, the gunman looked at Kaoru. "I came here for her."  
  
All eyes turned to Kaoru, who stood there in shock. "Me?" she exclaimed.  
  
"Somebody wants you dead. I was just paid to get the job done."  
  
"But why me?"  
  
The gunman glanced nervously at Kenshin. "Because you are important to him."  
  
"Rubbish!" Sanosuke said. "What about Aoshi? Why'd you hit on him as well?"  
  
The gunman pursed his lips, showing no intention to answer this particular question. So Sanosuke decided to ask another question.  
  
"Why Kaoru?" he demanded. "Why are you after her?"  
  
This time the gunman's eyes glinted as he looked at her, standing there. "She has to be eliminated. The boss says so."  
  
"Why?!" Sanosuke is losing his patience fast. "What's the reason?"  
  
"If we can't get rid of Kenshin Himura, then better to get her out of the way instead."  
  
Sanosuke advanced on the gunman threateningly. "You better start making sense or you'll be the one I will be eliminating in a second!"  
  
Fear registered on the stranger's face, seeing Sanosuke meant what he said. One look at the others and he knew his fate is sealed. Kenshin and Kaoru stood there watching silently, with no intention of getting between them. And the healer, already done patching up the wounded man, was now looking at him lazily.  
  
The gunman swallowed. Three words slipped from him. "The seer Haku..."  
  
He was not able to say anymore as a small dart flew from somewhere over their heads, hitting him square on the neck. Instantly on the alert, Sanosuke spun around, looking for the culprit. Kenshin's hand went to the hilt of his sword, his eyes darting here and there.  
  
But everything was silent. Whoever threw the dart had disappeared. And he succeeded.  
  
Sanosuke looked at the gunman distastefully, noting the angle at which his head lolled to the side, the dart fully embedded on the side of his neck. Taro pulled the dart and gazed at it closely.  
  
"It's been poisoned," he murmured thoughtfully, and glanced around, clearly wondering where it came from.  
  
They all turned as Sanosuke cursed. He looked thoroughly peeved. "We didn't even ask him who his boss was."  
  
Aoshi spoke from the ground, effectively grabbing their attention. "He said something..."  
  
"The seer Haku," Kaoru repeated, remembering the stranger's last words. "He said something about the seer Haku. Does anyone know who it is?"  
  
There was a collective shaking of heads, except for Taro.  
  
"I might have heard of him."

* * *


	10. See Clearer

Saying he might have heard of Haku was an understatement.

Taro knew of Haku. Very well.

Early the next morning, against Kaoru's protestations and Yoshi's tantrums, Kenshin, Sanosuke and an insistent Aoshi set off for the nearby town, where Haku lived. While still generally weak, Aoshi's mind was made up. He will go with them to seek this Haku.

The journey on foot was quiet, neither one of them speaking a word. Every now and then Sanosuke would help Aoshi, and they would stop while Taro checks on the wounded man every half an hour or so.

Meanwhile Kenshin found himself left to his own thoughts. And fears. None of these make any sense. People he does not know of are out to kill him, and he has to know why. And the dreams. What of the dreams?

Now more than ever he knew the recent attack at the dojo has something to do with the dreams he had been having, the dreams Aoshi also claimed to have seen in his sleep.

What is this puzzle? Where will they find the piece that will fit into place and solve it?

It took them the better part of the morning to reach the other side of the mountain and when they finally arrived at an out-of-the-way village, Taro led them through a foliaged path away from the main streets. Kenshin understood. The less exposure, the better.

The hut was small, but the yard was well-kept. The garden on the side was abloom, the cherry blossom trees welcoming whoever managed to steer toward this path. There were no nearby houses. Haku must be a recluse.

Sanosuke peered towards the open door of the hut. "You think someone is in there?"

"One way to find out," Taro said, and strode directly through the narrow path leading to the door of the hut.

They all stopped halfway through the door when a raspy voice spoke out from within. "I knew you would come."

"He's a seer. Who would have guessed?" Sanosuke whispered with sarcasm.

Taro spoke. "We come in peace, Haku-san."

The voice came on again. "Taro. It has been a long time."

"Too long."

"Come in."

Taro walked in, followed by Sanosuke, leading Aoshi. Kenshin took a few steps and stopped at the threshold, uncertain what to do.

What if this was a waste of time?

Again the raspy voice. "If you want your questions answered, walk through that door."

Kenshin remembered the shower of bullets at the dojo, the fear he felt at the thought of Kaoru being pierced by those bullets. He remembered the gleam in the eyes of Asha in his dream…the scar on her cheek.

He walked into the hut.

Haku must have been a very strong man in his prime, but now he looked too old to even get up to his feet. They all watched in pained silence as the old man slowly moved to the corner to retrieve sake for them, but no one said a word.

Gratefully they each accepted the sake offered to them, but Kenshin could not taste it. His mind was a whirlpool of questions wanting to be asked.

Haku stared at Aoshi, noted the pale skin, and smiled kindly. "The pain must be too great."

Aoshi spoke expressionlessly. "I have had worse."

"I knew you would not be left behind. You would see to it, even if you had to crawl all the way here."

Impatient now, Sanosuke spoke up. "This isn't exactly a social call."

The old man fixed his gaze on Sanosuke. His eyes crinkled at the edges as he merely smiled at him.

Finally his gaze settled upon Kenshin, who stared back at the old man. Old and frail he may look, but Kenshin sensed the strength in the seer's eyes.

"You want answers," Haku spoke without breaking off his gaze.

"Do you have them?" he asked pointedly.

"Some." He turned away. "Can you see the future, Mr. Himura? And I do not mean flashes or visions like you, Taro. I mean truly see the future."

"I cannot."

"Are you sure?"

Kenshin pondered on the question, not knowing how to answer. Haku sighed.

"Ah, but you have seen it, Mr. Himura. You have seen the future. And so did your friend Aoshi."

"The dreams…"

"Yes, the dreams." Haku lifted his gaze. "Let me tell you a story. A swordsman rose from the shadows, trying his best to bury the blood and screams behind him as he sought the light. But it is a hard ordeal, to bury those memories completely. They keep resurfacing, pulling at the swordsman, away from that ray of light beckoning him to come forward. But he persists. He gets a bit of that radiance.

"Then he realizes that to keep the fire burning, he still has to hold on to his sword and slay those who attempt to snuff the flame. So he does. And the fire kept its fervour. However, along the way, those who attempted, not all of them were fully stopped. And they vow revenge."

"Kanryu Takeda."

The name came out unchecked, and the others turned to look at Kenshin in surprise. Kanryu. The rich smuggler who acquired the services of Aoshi and his group to take Megumi and, in the process, cross swords with Kenshin. That was Kenshin and Aoshi's first encounter, one that caused both men more pain in the time that followed.

That night, while Aoshi made Kenshin his enemy, he also turned against Kanryu. But Kanryu died, didn't he?

"Yes," Haku said, nodding sagely. "The root was eliminated, but the branches had already taken their first sprouts."

Sanosuke spoke up. "Are you saying Kanryu Takeda's successors are behind the shooting at the dojo?"

Haku's silence was enough answer.

Aoshi cleared his threat. "I understand now why they are after me and Kenshin. They want revenge. But what of the dreams? Kenshin and I get the same dream, and at the same time, too. If there is one thing I do not believe in, it is coincidence."

This time they saw the old man look down and they realized there was more to the story.

Two months ago, a young man came to me. A distinguished-looking man, if I may add. He – as all the others – wanted a glimpse of the future. But he had a most unusual request. He asked what would become of his vendetta to the two men who wronged his father. So I did, and told him. He was not too pleased, but I only had the truth to tell."

"What did you see?"

The question came from Taro.

"The same thing you saw in the dreams, only I saw more." He became thoughtful. "I also saw what the young man would do the moment he reached his home after hearing what I had to say." He looked pointedly at Aoshi. "I see they did not waste any time."

"They came, shooting the dojo down with their big guns." Sanosuke was also absorbing all these.

"They could not take you out, Mr. Himura, so they aimed for that light."

"Kaoru…" Kenshin whispered, realization dawning on him now. "But…why her?"

"She is a part of the future I saw."

Taro spoke. "Let us go to the dreams. What are they, exactly?"

Haku smiled. "Interesting, is it not? How you could see many years into the future."

"Who is Asha?" Kenshin asked, already knowing the answer.

"Your descendant. Your great-great-great granddaughter. The 18th master of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu."

Shock enveloped the whole room. Sanosuke looked dumbstruck, Taro was rendered speechless. Aoshi was silent, but Kenshin simply stared at the seer, who went on speaking.

"18th. You refused to take on the mantle from your master, Mr. Himura. Your sons won't. So would she. She shall be the first woman to have the title."

"What if you are lying?"

"We will never know now, would we?" Haku nodded sagely. "I take no sides in this dispute, Mr. Sagara. I say only what I see. If I do lie, what do I get out of it? I am an old man. I have not long to live in this world."

Aoshi broke the resulting silence. "And I? What am I in all these?"

Haku fixed his glance on Aoshi. "In those dreams you were looking through another's eyes, yes? Would it comfort you both to know that in the future, your descendants will still be together?"

"Are you saying…"

"You were looking through a descendant's eyes, Mr. Shinomori." He sighed, exhaustion finally appearing on his face. "I wish I could tell you more, but that is all I could. The Kanryu son who came to me was concerned with what I told him, and he tried to stop that future from happening. It is up to you both whether you want it to happen or not." He closed his eyes and the four guests knew the conversation was over.

"I have one more question."

"I know," Haku said without opening his eyes.

"You said they were alarmed. What did you see? Will our descendants prevail?"

Haku's eyes opened but said nothing.

TOKYO – PRESENT DAY.

It was a rush, and she felt exhilaration sweep through her.

She knew they were waiting for her, had anticipated their moves. But unlike them, she also knew her way around the dark alleys.

Asha sheathed her sword and looked down at the bodies of her attackers. Mediocre, she thought, remembering the movements these men did seconds ago. She did not even break a sweat.

They were alive, barely conscious. Heaven knows men like them deserve to die a thousand deaths with her blade, but she saw no wisdom to it.

And she isn't like them.

She didn't know what it was, but the air seemed to change, whipping past her head. Instantly on guard, she tensed.

Something is out there. Someone.

Slowly she turned her head around. The night breeze had returned to normal, but she still felt the prickling at the back of her neck.

But this seemed different, she thought. The presence around her…it was not threatening. In truth it felt almost…warm.

Kinship. She could feel it.

Asha looked up at the dark sky, seeing a single star and she felt as though it was smiling at her.

What had Grandpa Yoshi said?

A lone star shining is her ancestor smiling. Her ancestor.

She smiled. Wait until Grandpa Yoshi hears this. He hates being called Grandpa, or so he says, yet many times she caught his hidden smile at her endearment.

"Watch over me, Battousai," she whispered in the air, then turned to walk away.

She had just rounded the corner where the attackers hid minutes ago when she heard something. Stopping in her tracks, she felt the air around her.

This time she knew it was not a spirit of the past.

"Come out," she called out, her hand at the hilt of her sakabatou.

In the shadows to her left she sensed movement. She stood there, waiting for the stranger to fully show himself in the dimness.

It was no stranger.

Her grip on the hilt of her sword relaxed as she recognized a face she had not seen for nearly eight years, a face she had known she would see sooner or later.

"You sure lived up to your title, Master," the tall man said quietly. "I see you have not lost your touch with the blade."

"I see stealth is still a skill for you," she said, lifting her chin. "How long have you been watching?"

"Long enough," he said, striding towards her in a relaxed manner. "You know those men?"

"I have an idea, yes."

This close, she could see the shoulder holster beneath his jacket. She gave him a small smile. "Are you going to arrest me, officer?"

He shrugged. "Off-duty. And I am outside of my jurisdiction."

"When did you get back in town?" she asked, devouring his face in the shadows. She missed him. Terribly. Perhaps there were even times when she feared not seeing him again.

"As soon as I heard you were back. When did you get back to Japan?" he asked back.

"A month ago," she replied. "You could say I laid low a bit. At Grandpa's."

A smile could be heard in his voice. "I see you still haven't stopped calling him that."

"Have you?" she asked pointedly, and his pause was answer enough. "He did say you will turn up sooner or later. I was counting on sooner, and I wasn't mistaken. How did you know?"

"I heard of the Japanese-British scholar who opened the newest wing of Japan Museum. The name was foreign, but I know better. Natasha Shinta." The name rolled off his tongue. "Very few people know of your last name, Asha."

"I'm glad you were one of those who remembered."

He stepped forward and she could now see his face, unchanged. Still as handsome as before. The years have been good to him.

He was smiling now. "Welcome home, Ayasha Himura."

Asha returned his smile before responding. "Thank you, Ken Shinomori."


End file.
